Wednesday, June 24, 2009


Today me and Joan went to a funeral.
A very special
beautiful human.

Joyce Mealand died last week.
The King of the Coffee Bar at the Mayflower.
We worked together for 10 years.
I knew all her family.
Our kids grew older alongside their kids.

Today we entered into the East End culture again.
So sweet. Sweet as a nut.
We drove down streets I knew the names of::
Barking Road
(past Rathbone Market)
Kerry Close
Hermit Road
Butchers Road
Freemasons Road

and I didn't know where I was.
Years have changed so much.
That white Cockney manor is now multi-racial
beautifully mixed with colour and dress style.
Foods to make your mouth water.
Shops have changes
roads have changed
but the cemetery has not.
It is still the same place I came to to bury so many young humans
dead before their time.

Beautiful to meet so many humans I have not seen for years.
They all seem older now - other than me!
It has been 24 years since we left behind that community.
The Canning Town community
I love it love it.

It was a powerful experience.
Left us drained emotionally.
Remembering Joyce
weeping tears.
being with so many
sharing their grief.

Jim, Joyce's husband, was using a wheelchair.
Rather frail but keen to talk, bright and full of his usual wit.
He grabbed my arm as I kneeled by his wheelchair
directly in front of the open grave.
He had been so pleased
to receive a card from Bishop Roger who worked with us.
"Portishead" he said, "that is where I was evacuated to in the war -
can you tell Roger that I was there" He described the place to me.

I have images in my head -
Images of little children
with their name written on cardboard held by string around their necks
being evacuated from London Docklands to avoid Hitler's bombs.
I never knew this about Jim.

So we walked a journey
We drove through only partly familiar streets
but we loved the meeting with others
the remembering of Joyce and all she has meant.
....... and there is so much more ........